Broody Silkie Without Eggs

[lkcaffery]

I have four hens (no roosters), one of which is a Silkie who has been laying for about a month now, and she lays about 5 eggs a week. I think she is now broody, because she essentially hasn't left the nesting box for 3 days, although this morning I did remove her and put her in the run where she did eat for a bit before going back. The funny part is that she isn't sitting on any eggs. In fact, yesterday she laid and egg and then moved to the nesting box next to the nesting box in which she laid the egg. Otherwise she seems fine. Is this odd that she is broody but isn't sitting on eggs? Should I try and break her of this or just let her go on? I'd be happy to find a fertilized egg for her, but I can't have roosters so I don't want to take the chance that I'd end up with a roo.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Shes laying eggs? Odd.

Yes, its VERY normal for a hen to go broody without eggs.I would find some silkie or other bantam eggs for sale, and put about a dozen under her. Does she puff up and hiss when oyu go near her box? Only get off once a day or so?

 

[lkcaffery]

Yes, she hisses at me and puffs up when I open the nesting box. She did not lay today and I would have expected her to do so. She did not peck me, though, when I picked her up to make her go in the run earlier.

 

[Eggsoteric]

I have a Silkie hen that tried her hardest to hatch out an Eggo waffle she dragged into her nest.

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

Yes, she hisses at me and puffs up when I open the nesting box. She did not lay today and I would have expected her to do so. She did not peck me, though, when I picked her up to make her go in the run earlier.

Well you can either break her, or let her hatch eggs. up to you


LOL, I had a hen try to hatch fully grown quails, and bread before.

 

[lkcaffery]

I've found some silkie and bantam eggs in my area that I can buy. If I get her an egg or two to hatch, will this solve the problem indefinitely or will she become broody again at some other time? Or, if I choose to break her of the broodiness, will she again become broody at a later date? Will she stop laying eggs now that she has turned broody?

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

I've found some silkie and bantam eggs in my area that I can buy. If I get her an egg or two to hatch, will this solve the problem indefinitely or will she become broody again at some other time? Or, if I choose to break her of the broodiness, will she again become broody at a later date? Will she stop laying eggs now that she has turned broody?

Yes, she will stop laying.

She may go broody again, or might never. But once the chicks are grown she will stop for a long while

get her at least half a dozen, and keep her in a seperate place. That way shes nearly gurranteed chicks, and your more likely to get a hen or 2.

 

[lkcaffery]

Thanks to all who have responded. One more question - do I need to separate her or can she sit on her eggs in the nesting box and raise any chicks in the coop? I have three other hens, not bantams, and it is starting to get chilly here. I think the lows next week are in the 30s and the highs in the 50s.

 

[lkcaffery]

And I just thought of one more question. Our weather here had been cooling down - lows in the 40s or low 50s and highs in the 60s and then we got a warm snap where the highs have been in the 80s and lows in the 60s. This warm snap seems to correspond with the beginning of the broodiness. Is that just coincidence or does my Silkie think it is spring? When it gets cooler again on Sunday - highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s - will she stop being broody on her own and I won't need to go the hatching egg route?

 

[luvmyEs]

If your silkie is anything like my silkies you won't be able to break her. Both my white silkies sat side by side for 2 months on NOTHING trying to hatch babies. But I was done for the year with chicks. They have been raising chicks all spring and summer. They would raise them for 5 weeks, lay for 1-2 weeks, and then be broody again. Good luck!